What drives the formation of chromatin loops has been a long-standing question in chromosome biology. Recent work provides major insight into the basic principles behind loop formation. Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) complexes, that are conserved from bacteria to humans, are key to this process. The SMC family includes condensin and cohesin, which structure chromosomes to enable mitosis and long-range gene regulation. We discuss novel insights into the mechanism of loop formation and the implications for how these complexes ultimately shape chromosomes. A picture is emerging in which these complexes form small loops that they then processively enlarge. It appears that SMC complexes act by family-wide basic principles, with complex-specific levels of control.
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